Meet the men racing to be next NC governor

The state will elect a new governor next month Ė and he will have strong western North Carolina ties. Pat McCrory and Walter Dalton are the frontrunners in the gubernatorial race. Barbara Howe, a libertarian, is also on the ballot.

This election guarantees a governor from the western end of the state. How will western North Carolina benefit if youíre elected governor?

Certainly I know the area. I know the special needs of the area, and I have always been a champion for rural North Carolina and western. It is considered rural. I was very involved with the rural center grants which Cleveland County has benefited significantly from and other grants. This past year, the legislature cut that funding, and I will fight against those cuts. I will not be a rubber stamp for a partisan political agenda.

In one word or phrase, whatís the biggest issue facing western North Carolina?

Economy

What is your plan to bring more jobs to Cleveland County and western North Carolina?

Well as you know Iíve worked there as a representative in Cleveland County and being involved with Clearwater, AT&T and others over the years with the (American Legion) World Series and the Earl Scruggs Center. I have a specific plan for the entire state with tax incentives for the long-term unemployed and a train-hired provision. Certainly, I will be a strong advocate for North Carolina, but knowing Rutherford and Cleveland counties, I think I can be a strong advocate like I have for Clearwater, Baldor and AT&T and PPG.

What is the key to improving the stateís education system?

Innovation, customization and treating teachers with respect. Cutting Head Start and Smart Start is not productive at all. I did the bill that laid the foundation for early college high schools. And making sure our students get the workforce skills that they will need to compete in the 21st century economy.

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Do you propose any changes for the stateís teachers?

I do. My plans for economic recovery and education are detailed and visible online. Briefly, it has a goal of bringing teacher pay back to the national average, more professional development to take back to the classroom and gives them (teachers) the tools students will need to compete in the 21st century economy.

What is your plan, if any, for changing state tax rates?

I proposed no increase in the sales tax. I propose no changes in the sales tax. We need to go through the tax code and review it to see if they are effective and eliminate those; I am proposing going through the tax code and eliminating the loopholes. Also, seeing how technology has changed our tax code.

What needs and opportunities do you see in Cleveland County?

Continuing to improve our educational system, which I think they do a good job. Customize education to the student and workforce needs and continue to keep our Cleveland Community College strong.

I think the opportunities are very broad, if you look at the tourism industry and The Earl Scruggs museum and the Broad River Greenway. We can levy additional revenues for tourism.

But also with databases, like with AT&T, this part of the state seems well suited for that with climate and low electrical costs. With training at the community college, we have a great future with allied health. At Cleveland Regional, we have great future with jobs and healthcare.

What would surprise voters to learn about you as a person?

In Cleveland County, I doubt there are many secrets about me. I represented Cleveland County for 12 years in the NC Senate. I was honored to do that and Iíll work tirelessly for NC.

Pat McCrory

Age: 56

Lives: Charlotte

Career: Duke Energy, McCrory and Co., Moore & Van Allen

Political career: Charlotte mayor (1995-2009), city council (89-95)

This election guarantees a governor from the western end of the state. How will western North Carolina benefit if youíre elected governor?

One thing Iíll change is Iím not going to promise one end of the state something over other areas of the state. Regional politics has got to stop. Iím going to represent the whole state, including the west.

In one word or phrase, whatís the biggest issue facing western North Carolina?

Jobs.

What is your plan to bring more jobs to Cleveland County and western North Carolina?

Page 3 of 4 - Three or four things. One, weíve got to make our corporate income tax more competitive. We need to reform our tax system, especially to be more competitive with our neighboring state, South Carolina.

I want to get North Carolina into the energy business, which will help all of North Carolina.

Third, I want to look at regulations hurting all small businesses.

Lastly, and most importantly, I want to make sure our education system is tied into helping people get jobs. Thereís a total disconnect between the two. We have a high unemployment rate, but then we have employers with job openings who canít find qualified employees. We need a governor to bring those two together.

What is the key to improving the stateís education system?

Our curriculum, especially in our two- and four-year schools must be tied to the skills needed in the industry in the region. We must stop promotion of kids who canít read. Those students are most likely to drop out and put a strain on unemployment.

Do you propose any changes for the stateís teachers?

We need merit pay for teachers. We need to pay the best teachers the best money we can, so that theyíre rewarded for excellence in comparison to other colleagues. We need to pay teachers in areas thereís an underutilization, like math and science.

We need to take advantage of technology to share teaching with all areas of the state.

The more they teach, the more money and opportunities they have.

What is your plan, if any, for changing state tax rates?

My ultimate goal is to make sure, at a minimum, that the corporate and income tax are competitive with neighboring South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. My other goal is to ensure the tax code is easy to understand, especially for small businesses.

What needs and opportunities do you see in Cleveland County?

I think thereís great opportunity in Cleveland County in terms of the energy sector. Thereís already a presence in the Shelby region in the utility industry. I think thereís an excellent opportunity to get the Shelby area and Cleveland County in the energy industry to complement whatís going on in Charlotte.

Then we must make sure we have the infrastructure to get those efforts to the other ends of the state.

There are great opportunities in agriculture and more agriculture we can export.

I think thereís a great opportunity for more manufacturing in the Cleveland County area, which fills a niche in the national and international market as it relates to energy.

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What would surprise voters to learn about you as a person?

Iím a man of my word, and I follow through. Iím what I commit to. I was a high school basketball official for 11 years, so Iím used to making tough calls. That was great preparation ground for being a mayor. Being a mayor was great preparation ground for being a governor. Iím ready to make the tough calls to fix our broken economy and government.